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 [ POLITICS ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=396)

#  LAPD Finally Faces Charter Reform. The Real Question Is: Who Tried to Stop It?

December 11 2025

Written by Mihran Kalaydjian.

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THE BOTTOM LINE - For months, the Los Angeles Charter Reform Commission has circled around the edges of real accountability—debating council expansion, neighborhood councils, ethics oversight, and democratic representation. But one issue, arguably the most consequential of them all, has been conspicuously absent: the Los Angeles Police Department.

Now, at last, LAPD has been added to the formal scope of Charter reform. The question practically writes itself:

**What took so long?**

**A Department With a Billion-Dollar Budget Should Never Be Off-Limits**

LAPD consumes more than half of the city’s unrestricted general fund, yet for most of this process, the commission behaved as if policing was somehow untouchable, too politically dangerous, or too complex to examine. Meanwhile, Angelenos have been demanding clarity on oversight, transparency, discipline, recruitment, retention, response times, and the department’s expanding footprint on city life.

It is unacceptable—borderline absurd—that the largest, most powerful department in the city was initially left out of structural reform. If Charter reform is about governance, accountability, and the future of Los Angeles, LAPD is not optional. It is central.

**Decades of Delayed Oversight Have Created Today’s Crisis**

Los Angeles has been here before:

\- The Rampart scandal exposed systemic corruption.

\- The Consent Decree forced external oversight after years of internal failures.

\- The disciplinary maze of the Board of Rights continues to frustrate victims, officers, and city leaders alike.

\- The budget ballooning year after year—with no proportional increase in public trust—has become a political ritual.

Each time, officials promised structural change. Each time, reforms were incremental, fragmented, or watered down. Charter reform is the first opportunity in a generation to address the system itself—not just the symptoms.

Dragging LAPD into the conversation at the last minute isn’t bold leadership. It’s overdue housekeeping.

**Why Was LAPD Left Out in the First Place?**

Let’s be honest:

City Hall has always been politically timid when it comes to LAPD. The department has influence, the police unions have money, and many elected officials fear the backlash of challenging “public safety”—even when the public is explicitly asking for change.

Leaving LAPD off the initial scope signaled one thing:

This city is still afraid to have a real conversation about policing.

Only after relentless public pressure, testimony, and the unmistakable glare of civic scrutiny did the commission finally open the door. The timing doesn’t reflect courage—it reflects necessity.

**The Real Work Begins Now**

Adding LAPD to the Charter Reform agenda is only the first step. The city must now confront the questions leaders have avoided for decades:

**1. Who truly oversees LAPD?**

Is the Police Commission genuinely independent, or merely an advisory panel with limited power?

**2. Does the current disciplinary process serve the public—or shield misconduct?**

The Board of Rights structure, officer appeals, and arbitration loopholes must be examined.

**3. Should budgetary control be tied directly to performance, transparency, and community outcomes?**

No other department receives automatic increases while delivering declining trust.

**4. How do we restore public confidence without compromising genuine public safety?**

Angelenos want safety and accountability—not the false choice city leaders often present.

**5. How will the city ensure that future oversight survives political pressure?**

Reform cannot depend on individual leaders; it must be built into the structure.

**A Moment of Truth for Los Angeles**

Charter reform is supposed to modernize the city for the next 25 years. If the commission cannot directly address LAPD—its power, its governance, its accountability—then the entire reform effort becomes cosmetic.

For too long, Los Angeles has accepted a two-tier system of governance:

Every department gets oversight—except LAPD. Every agency gets questioned—except LAPD. Every structure gets evaluated—except LAPD.

Those days must end.

Now that LAPD is on the table, the commission has a choice:

**Deliver real reform or retreat into the familiar politics of caution.**

Angelenos are watching. And this time, they expect more than symbolic gestures.

***(Mihran Kalaydjian** is a seasoned public affairs and government relations professional with more than twenty years of experience in legislative affairs, public policy, community relations, and strategic communications. A respected civic leader and education advocate, he has spearheaded numerous academic and community initiatives, shaping dialogue and driving reform in local and regional political forums. His career reflects a steadfast commitment to transparency, accountability, and public service across Los Angeles and beyond.)*

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